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Will these new models help Mizuno get a slice of the driver market? They’ve got every chance, writes equipment editor James Savage
Our Mizuno ST190 drivers review took place on the course at Moor Allerton in Leeds.
We also gathered some data using a Flightscope launch monitor in their indoor fitting studio.
There are two ST190 drivers which follow on from last year’s ST180 and GT180.
Now we have an ST190 and a ST190G.
So what are the differences between the two? And does one warrant a £50 higher price point?
Mizuno have been making really good drivers for the past few years, but the brand have struggled to get a decent slice of the driver market for one reason or another.
When Nike exited the hardware business a few years ago there was a bit of an opportunity, and their JPX900 woods range was really impressive.
But it still felt a little bit like they were trying to push water uphill as TaylorMade, Callaway and Ping remained well ahead of the competition.
It makes it very difficult for brands like Mizuno and Cobra to get a piece of the action. Do they stick to their own unique styles? Or do they try and offer something similar to what the bigger brands are producing?
The last few Mizuno drivers – JPX800, JPX850, JPX900, ST190 – have all had a blue crown.
I’ve always liked the blue crown, but maybe it has put some people off from the start? (I’m a Sheffield Wednesday fan, but maybe people who support a football team which plays in red would prefer a more neutral colour…)
So the ST190 drivers have a black crown with a stunning carbon composite look.
There’s nothing about the look of these drivers which will put anyone off. Quite the opposite, in fact, and they look as good as anything out there.
The ST190 is a simpler, weight-back driver while the ST190G has two sliding weight tracks to fine-tune spin and shot shape.
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Mizuno have added much of the technology which we have seen in their previous models.
The ‘Amplified Wave’ soleplate, introduced in last year’s ST180 drivers, helps improve ball speed and reduce spin.
There’s a new ultra-fast and stronger forged titanium face.
The lightweight 12-gram carbon composite crown means 7 grams of weight can be optimally redistributed to further boost ball speeds and reduce spin rates.
And Mizuno have used something called ‘Harmonic Impact Technology’ to study vibration and sound waves and create a more solid, powerful impact sound.
Both models promise low spin rates but the ST190G can reduce spin by 200rpm thanks to 7-gram weights on external tracks on the sole.
“The ST190 marks a total change in how Mizuno approaches wood design,” says lead designer Kei Tsjui.
“We now start the development process with our tour players. The tour-tested moulds then become our production moulds. In the case of the ST190, this produced a high-speed driver with extreme low spin for the tour, but with the capability of increasing spin for lower swing speed players.”
All sounds pretty good to us, so how did they perform? Find out on the next page…
Both of these drivers are very aesthetically pleasing when standing over the ball. They really look and feel premium.
The shape of the ST190G is slightly more traditional and the ST190 has a bit more mass dragged to the rear.
After hitting one shot with the ST190 I was hugely impressed with the sound and feel.
It has a lovely, solid, powerful and meaty sound – probably the best feeling driver I have hit so far this year.
Out on the course, in very windy conditions, I much preferred the lower spinning flight of the ST190G.
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On the launch monitor the numbers were pretty good for me.
But again the lower spinning ST190G was just producing slightly better numbers.
Overall, they are both lovely to hit. They look fantastic and seem capable of matching any other driver on the market for ball speed and distance.
So are they going in our expert’s bag? Find out on the next page…
The ST190 drivers are Mizuno’s best yet.
They are ticking every box and there are two quite different options to suit a wide range of players.
Although the ST190G seemed to be performing better for me on the day, I have no doubt the ST190 will be a bit more forgiving.
Over time I’d probably hit more fairways with the ST190 but I’d hit my longest drives with the ST190G.
I’d warn any golfer against getting seduced by super low-spinning drivers. They look great on the launch monitor but you need to be confident the dispersion isn’t going to get too wide.
So are these drivers going to tempt club golfers to overlook Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping, Titleist and Cobra?
Well, at £399 and £449 respectively they are not exactly cheap, but they are every bit as good as anything else on the market.
They are undoubtedly premium so you can’t really expect Mizuno to drop the prices too low.
Golfers can be loyal to a particular brand so unless a product is significantly better or cheaper it’s tough to ask them to switch to a different manufacturer.
With a bit more usage on tour and word getting around that the ST190 drivers are the real deal, there’s every chance these could be a success.
ST190
SRP: £399
Lofts: 9.5˚ and 10.5˚ both adjustable by 2˚ either way, in left and right hand
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ST190G
SRP: £449
Lofts:9˚adjustable by 2˚ either way, in right hand only
Stock shafts: A range of shafts without upcharge will be available, with new options for 2019 including Atmos Blue 5S, Atmos Red 5R, Atmos Red 5R2, Atmos Red 6R and Atmos Black TS 6S.
On sale: February, 2019
More information can be found on the Mizuno website
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